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There is a reason — beyond the fact it is August — that WeWork’s upcoming IPO has driven so much discussion: it is a document defined by audaciousness, both in terms of the company’s vision and also the flagrant disregard for corporate governance norms by its leadership. And, of course, massive losses despite massive amounts of capital raised. I suspect all of these things are related.
The AWS Example
Imagine it is 2006, and you go to investors with a bold new business plan: computer hardware! Never mind that IBM just sold its PC business to Lenovo a year previously, and that servers appeared on the same path to commoditization, particularly with the emergence of x86 solutions from companies like Dell in place of specialized architectures from traditional suppliers like Sun. It doesn’t sound particularly promising.
And yet 2006 was the year that Amazon launched Amazon Web Services, a computer hardware business that leveraged the commoditization of hardware into a business with operating margins of around 30%. It turned out having one company manage that commodity hardware for everyone else had several important advantages that more than justified those margins:
- New companies had instant access to an entire server stack for basically free, because payments tracked usage (which for new companies is zero).
- Growing companies did not need to obtain funding for or spend the time on extensive build-outs months or years ahead of future growth, instead they could pay for new capabilities as they needed them.
- Established companies no longer needed to have a competency in managing server installations, and could instead focus on their core competencies while outsourcing to cloud providers.
In all three cases the fundamental shift was from servers as capital investment to variable costs; the benefits were less about saving dollars and cents and more about increasing flexibility and optionality. At least, that is, to start: today AWS has offerings that extend far beyond basic compute and storage to capabilities like server-less (which, paradoxically, requires owning an huge number of always-available servers) that are uniquely possible because of AWS’ scale.
The WeWork Bull Case
AWS, broadly speaking, is the WeWork bull case. Consider the phrase, “fixed cost”. There is nothing more fixed than real estate, yet WeWork’s offering transforms real estate into a variable cost for all kinds of companies, with benefits that roughly mirror public clouds:
- New companies can have instant access to a well-appointed office space and pay for only a desk or two, and then grow as needed.
- Growing companies do not need to spend time on extensive build-outs months or years ahead of future growth, and instead pay for more space as they need it.
- Established companies no longer need to have a real estate competency all over the world, and can in fact expand to new territories with far less risk than previously required.
Note that, just like the public cloud, price is not necessarily the primary driver for WeWork space. Still, there is no doubt that AWS, for example, pays far less for AWS’ underlying infrastructure than any of their customers would pay on their own. For one, AWS can spread the cost of data centers around the world over a huge number of customers; for another AWS can bargain with hardware suppliers or simply design and make its own components.
WeWork can achieve similar gains, to an extent. Within a single location, common space, by virtue of being shared by all WeWork members, can be built out much more than any one member could build out on their own. Similarly, WeWork’s network of locations around the world provide options that accrue to all members.
WeWork has also developed an expertise in utilizing office space efficiently, and while some of this is simply a willingness to cram more people into less space, opening triple-digit locations a year means that the company is by definition learning and iterating on what works for office space far faster than anyone else, and that is before the promised application of sensors and machine learning to the challenge.
And then there is the question as to whether WeWork is, or can become, more than a real estate play at scale: what might be the equivalent of “server-less” when it comes to office space — a unique capability that is uniquely unlocked by one company providing all of the real estate needs for, well, everyone?
WeWork’s Losses and Ambition
Given this vision, WeWork’s massive losses are, at least in theory, justifiable. The implication of creating a company that absorbs all of the fixed costs in order to offer a variable cost service to other companies is massive amounts of up-front investment. Just as Amazon needed to first build out data centers and buy servers before it could sell storage and compute, WeWork needs to build out offices spaces before it can sell desktops or conference rooms. In other words, it would be strange if WeWork were not losing lots of money, particularly given its expansion rate; from the S-1:
The company also includes this graphic, which on its own isn’t particularly helpful given the missing Y-axis:
What is useful is considering these two graphics together: over 300 locations — more than half — are in the money-losing part of the second graph, which helps explain why WeWork’s expenses are nearly double its revenue; should the company stop opening locations, it seems reasonable to expect that gap to close rapidly.
Still, it is doubtful that WeWork will slow the rate with which it opens locations given the company’s view of its total addressable market. From the S-1:
In the 111 cities in which we had locations as of June 1, 2019, we estimate that there are approximately 149 million potential members. For U.S. cities, we define potential members by the estimated number of desk jobs based on data from the Statistics of U.S. Businesses survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. For non-U.S. cities, we consider anyone in select occupations defined by the International Labor Organization — including managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals and clerical support workers — to be potential members, because we assume that these individuals need workspace in which they have access to a desk and other services. We view this as our addressable market because of the broad variety of professions and industries among our members, the breadth of our solutions available to individuals and organizations of different types and our track record of developing new solutions in response to our members’ needs.
We expect to expand aggressively in our existing cities as well as launch in up to 169 additional cities. We evaluate expansion in new cities based on multiple criteria, primarily our assessment of the potential member demand as well as the strategic value of having that city as part of our location portfolio. Based on data from Demographia and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, we have identified our market opportunity to be 280 target cities with an estimated potential member population of approximately 255 million people in aggregate.
When applying our average revenue per WeWork membership for the six months ended June 30, 2019 to our potential member population of 149 million people in our existing 111 cities, we estimate an addressable market opportunity of $945 billion. Among our total potential member population of approximately 255 million people across our 280 target cities globally, we estimate an addressable market opportunity of $1.6 trillion.
Did you catch that? WeWork is claiming nearly every desk job around the globe as its market, a move that by definition means moving beyond being a real estate company. From the S-1:
Our membership offerings are designed to accommodate our members’ distinct space needs. We provide standard, configured and on-demand memberships within our spaces. We also offer Powered by We, a premium solution configured to an organization’s needs and deployed at the organization’s location. Powered by We leverages our analysis, design and delivery capabilities to beautify and optimize an existing workplace, while also offering an organization increased efficiencies and an option to invigorate its spaces through our community offerings. The technology we deploy includes software and hardware solutions that deliver improved insights and an easier-to-use workplace experience for employees.
The sheer scale of this ambition again calls back to AWS. It was in 2013 that Amazon’s management first stated that AWS could end up being the company’s biggest business; at that time AWS provided a mere 4% of Amazon’s revenue (but 33% of the profit). In 2018, though, AWS had grown by over 1000% and was up to 11% of Amazon’s revenue (and 59% of the profit), and that share is very much expected to grow, even as AWS faces a competitor in Microsoft Azure that is growing even faster, in large part because existing enterprises are moving to the cloud, not just startups.
WeWork, meanwhile, using its expansive definition of its addressable market, claims that it has realized only 0.2% of their total opportunity globally, and 0.6% of their opportunity in their ten largest cities. To be fair, one may be skeptical that existing enterprises in particular will be hesitant to turn over management of their existing offices to WeWork, which would dramatically curtail the opportunity; on the other hand, large enterprises now make up 40% of WeWork’s revenue (and rising), and more importantly, WeWork doesn’t have any significant competition.
WeWork’s (Lack of) Competition
This point around competition is an important one, and one of the more compelling reasons to be bullish on WeWork’s opportunity.
The obvious competitor is a company called IWG, with 3,306 locations and 445k workstations at the end of 2018. WeWork, in comparison, had 528 locations and 604k workstations as of June 30, 2019. Note the date mismatch — this isn’t a perfect comparison — but that only makes the point that these are two very different companies: WeWork had only 466k workstations at the end of 2018; a year earlier, when the Wall Street Journal pointed out that WeWork’s then-valuation was 5x IWG’s (it is now 13x), WeWork had a mere 150k, while IWG had 414k.
In other words, WeWork is massively more concentrated than IWG (i.e. fewer locations with more workstations), and growing exponentially faster; unsurprisingly, and relatedly, IWG is making money (£154 million last year). That, though, further makes the point: IWG, for better or worse, is constrained by the revenue it makes; WeWork, on the other hand, is perhaps best understood as a clear beneficiary of a world of seemingly unlimited capital. It is difficult to see IWG competing in the long run, or, frankly, anyone else: who is going to fund a WeWork competitor, instead of simply pouring more money into WeWork itself?
Capital and Recessions
This question of capital is perhaps the biggest one facing WeWork: from the company’s inception on critics have (fairly) wondered what will happen in a recession. It is one thing to sign long leases at low rates and rent out office space at higher rates when the economy is growing; what happens when the economy is shrinking and those long-term leases are not going anywhere, while WeWork customers very well may be?
This is a fair concern and almost certainly the largest reason to be skeptical of WeWork in the short run, but the company does have counter-arguments:
- First, WeWork argues that in a downturn increased flexibility and lower costs (relative to traditional office space) may in fact attract new customers.
- Second, WeWork claims its growing enterprise customer base has nearly doubled lease commitments to 15 months with a committed revenue backlog of $4.0 billion; this is still far shorter than WeWork’s mostly 15-year leases, but perhaps long enough to stabilize the company through a recession.
- Third, WeWork notes that a recession — provided the company has sufficient capital — would actually allow it to accelerate its buildout as lease and construction costs come down.
The company also has another, rather unsavory, advantage in a recession: its opaque corporate structure. While there are many downsides to the fact that the “We Company” is a collection of entities, one of the big advantages is that landlords will have a difficult time enforcing any leases that WeWork abandons. From the Financial Times:
There are limits to what landlords can do to enforce rental commitments. The company, like others in the shared office sector, creates special purpose vehicles for its leases, meaning landlords do not have direct recourse to the parent company if it fails to pay rent.
In the past, companies in the sector have changed the terms of their leases when downturns hit. Regus, now IWG, renegotiated leases in 2002 when the end of the tech boom cut into its customer base. More recently, an IWG subsidiary that leased a site near Heathrow airport applied for voluntary liquidation.
To counter such concerns, WeWork has guaranteed a portion of its rental payments, though a small fraction of the overall obligation. About $4.5bn of rent payments are backed by corporate guarantees and $1.1bn by bank guarantees, according to the group’s pre-IPO filing. It has paid more than $268.3m in cash deposits to landlords and used another $183.9m of surety bonds, a form of insurance.
Those guarantees are only $1.6 billion more than WeWork’s committed revenue backlog.
WeWork’s Corporate Governance
Frankly, there is a lot to like about the WeWork opportunity. Yes, a $47 billion valuation seems way too high, particularly given the fact the company is on pace to make only about $440 million in gross profit this year (i.e. excluding all buildout and corporate costs), and given the huge recession risk. At the same time, this is a real business that provides real benefits to companies of all sizes, and those benefits are only growing as the nature of work changes to favor more office work generally and more remote work specifically. And, critically, there is no real competition.
The problem is that the “unsavoriness” I referred to above is hardly limited to the fact that WeWork can stiff its landlords in an emergency. The tech industry generally speaking is hardly a model for good corporate governance, but WeWork takes the absurdity an entirely different level. For example:
- WeWork paid its own CEO, Adam Neumann, $5.9 million for the “We” trademark when the company reorganized itself earlier this year.
- That reorganization created a limited liability company to hold the assets; investors, however, will buy into a corporation that holds a share of the LLC, while other LLC partners hold the rest, reducing their tax burden.
- WeWork previously gave Neumann loans to buy properties that WeWork then rented.
- WeWork has hired several of Neumann’s relatives, and Neumann’s wife would be one of three members of a committee tasked to replace Neumann if he were to die or become permanently disabled over the next decade.
- Neumann has three different types of shares that guarantee him majority voting power; those shares retain their rights if sold or given away, instead of converting to common shares.
Byrne Hobart has made the case that some of the real estate transactions with Neumann are justifiable, but given how bad everything else in this list is, not assuming the worst is a generous interpretation; meanwhile, Neumann has already reportedly cashed out $700 million of his holdings via sales and loans. Everything taken together hints at a completely unaccountable executive looting a company that is running as quickly as it can from massive losses that may very well be fatal whenever the next recession hits.
The Capital Glut
In fact, I would argue that the WeWork bull case and bear case have more in common than it seems: both are the logical conclusion of effectively unlimited capital. The bull case is that WeWork has seized the opportunity presented by that capital to make a credible play to be the office of choice for companies all over the world, effectively intermediating and commoditizing traditional landlords. It is utterly audacious, and for that reason free of competition. The bear case, meanwhile, is that unlimited capital has resulted in a complete lack of accountability and a predictable litany of abuses, both in terms of corporate risk-taking and personal rent-seeking.
Perhaps the real question, then, is what has driven the capital glut that has both helped WeWork’s business and harmed WeWork’s corporate governance? Is it merely the current economic cycle, which means a recession will not only pressure WeWork’s finances but also turn off the spigot of cash? Or has there been a fundamental shift in the global economy, as the increased impact of technology, with its capital-intensive business model that throws off huge amounts of cash, drives more and more global output?
In short, there is a case that WeWork is both a symptom of software-eating-the-world, as well as an enabler and driver of the same, which would mean the company would still have access to the capital it needs even in a recession. Investors would just have to accept the fact they will have absolutely no impact on how it is used, and that, beyond the sky-high valuation and the real concerns about a duration mismatch in a recession, is a very good reason to stay away.
I wrote a follow-up to this article in this Daily Update, explaining how WeWork is very different from AWS. It is free.


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UK may benefit from Net tax plans
Britain could receive millions of pounds in VAT from foreign companies currently selling services tax-free over the Internet to customers in Europe if new European Commission proposals become law.
While goods such as books are taxed at the point of import, intangible services such as news bulletins, online gambling or software which can be directly downloaded from the Net on to a PC are slipping through the tax collectors' net.
Under the proposals currently being discussed, all foreign companies selling services through e-commerce in the EU will have to register for VAT in at least one EU State.
This would include offshore gambling sites that are based in tax havens such as Gibraltar.
Tax specialist Milly Hodgkin-son of City solicitors Berwin Leighton said: 'This is a significant step towards restoring a level playing field between EU business and the rest of the world and UK business may benefit from having a signifcantly lower VAT rate than many of its EU neighbours.'
Damian Cope, head of fixed odds at London-based online betting shop City Index, welcomed any new law that would create fairer competition.
He said: 'We've said all along that we want to be on the side of the regulators. You have to operate in whatever regime you are in - not try to play for the weakest link.'
Hodgkinson admitted that making Internet companies register for tax will not be easy. 'It's bound to be difficult, but you've got to create the obligation to do it. Then if you catch someone who isn't registered, you can apply sanctions,' she said. Tax specialists say the Commission is desperate to close the loophole that puts British and other European businesses at a disadvantage to rivals outside the European Union and will act without waiting to see what the US, considered to be dithering over the problem, will do.
In its consultation paper the Commission said: 'The level of taxable activities is probably modest at the moment but the Internet has the capacity to become a major economic thoroughfare and wealth-generating engine.
'It is essential that European business is at the front of this process and is not hampered by tax rules which fail to give a level playing field.'
• The draft of the British Electronic Commerce Bill will be published on Friday. It is likely to cover issues such as electronic signatures and licensing agreements over the Internet.
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Netflix has produced a wide variety of TV shows, movies and animated series, dominating the online streaming service market. Now, the hiring of Mike Verdu, a former Facebook and Electronic Arts executive, as Netflix’s vice president of game development, has made the company’s expansion to the gaming industry evident.
Netflix confirmed its plans to enter the video game industry by introducing free mobile games to its subscribers, with an extension to its TV series and movies, on June 20th, in a letter to shareholders.
Moreover, back in 2019, in an earnings letter, Netflix mentioned that its competitors weren’t restricted to gaming platforms like HBO, but also included video games like Fortnite. Thus, bringing games will help the firm to expand its market and bring growth.
In the shareholders’ letter, Netflix briefed about their market expansion to the video game industry. They stated:
“We’re also in the early stages of further expanding into games, building on our earlier efforts around interactivity (eg, Black Mirror Bandersnatch) and our Stranger Things games. We view gaming as another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV. Games will be included in members’ Netflix subscription at no additional cost similar to films and series. Initially, we’ll be primarily focused on games for mobile devices. We’re excited as ever about our movies and TV series offering and we expect a long runway of increasing investment and growth across all of our existing content categories, but since we are nearly a decade into our push into original programming, we think the time is right to learn more about how our members value games.”Netflix to have its original content for video game adaptation
The success of interactive content such as “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” (2018) has also been one of the reasons for the company to bring more such content.
Moreover, Netflix recently released TV shows based on video games, such as “The Witcher” (2019-2021), “Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness” (2021), and “DOTA Dragon’s Blood” (2021). Both the TV shows have gained tremendous popularity and now, the streaming giant is also planning to bring the second season of the “DOTA Dragon’s Blood”. The League of Legends animated TV event series, Arcane, and the Splinter Cell series are also expected to be released in the future.
The streaming giant will be licensing some of its original series to develop games like they have done before for “Stranger Things.” Netflix is most likely to bring story-based games, as they will be based on their TV shows, movies and animated series. There will be a separate category from games.
Netflix to have mobile games at no additional cost
People with Netflix subscriptions will not have to pay any additional cost to enjoy games. The games will be made dedicated to mobile devices, as the company is at their “early stages of further expanding into games.”
Previously, Greg Peters, the chief operating and product officer, said: “We’re trying to figure out what are all these different ways…we can deepen that fandom, and certainly games are a really interesting component of that…There’s no doubt that games are going to be an important form of entertainment and an important modality to deepen that fan experience.”
There has been no such statement about the games coming to other devices like PCs or consoles.
Netflix might partner with PlayStation
There have been rumors about Netflix collaborating with PlayStation on adaptations of games to streaming. The streaming giant might collaborate and bring video game-related content based on some of the popular PlayStation games. On Twitter, the popular dateminer named Steve Moser shared images of both the “Ghost of Tsushima Box” art and some PS5 controllers on July 15th. This indicates a partnership between the two brands to bring content based on “Ghost of Tsushima” to the streaming platform. The dataminer has also suggested the Netflix’s gaming section be codenamed “Shark.” Moser also discovered that Sony might be ready to give their exclusive content to Netflix, however, nothing has been officially confirmed.
Edited by Gautham Balaji
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As model Jacquetta Wheeler picked through the Alexander Wang tank tops brandishing the single word “Change,” looking for a something smaller than the extra large sizes left in the frenzy, the plead to vote Obama reverberated through the space Tuesday night, an audibly emotional request from none other than Anna Wintour.
The Brit expat and Vogue chieftan joined another fashion paragon, Sarah Jessica Parker, in an edict during this fashion week in New York that is frankly, of much more import to the bottomline of this country’s GNP and image in world markets than anything Marc proclaimed on the runway the evening before.
|Nanette Lepore's Badges|
Vote Obama, and make sure everyone else you know does this November since our very future as Americans and as world citizens depends on it, they beseeched a crowd of some 400, including designers Tory Burch and Erin Featherstone and photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, who’d paid between $250 and $5k to attend Tuesday night’s Runway for Change.
Smack in the midst of fashion week, and competing with prime-time shows by Narcisco Rodriguez and Rodarte, the evening and showcased initiative were pulled together as an answer—well, reaction—to Sarah Palin’s confirmation as Republican veep nominee last week. Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Zac Posen, Diane Von Furstenberg, Isaac Mizrahi and Russell Simmons are among the two dozen designers who contributed signature pro-Obama T-shirts, tote bags and other merch for sale.
The aim, declared Wintour, is to raise $2 million for the Obama Victory.
Many guests, such a Francisco Costa, whose Calvin Klein presentation is less than 48 hours away, were gone before the speeches, brief as they were, ended.
Rachel Roy, who was airkissing Andre Leon Talley at the door when I arrived, custom printed taupe chiffon with Obama’s message of hope and cut it into scarves. While Nanette Lepore created tri-color ribbon badges that had a kind of Gibson Girl on the Fourth of July feel to them.
While Jay-Z provided one of the most potentially iconic graphic T-shirts, wife Beyonce signed off one of the ugliest: This is potentially a crisis of historical, even biblical proportions and this fashion school reject of a graphic is the best she could offer? Suffice it to say, the stack of her Tees remained untouched.
As for those Wang “Change” tanks that were so popular, I’d bought one of the last two larges only minutes before, the two smaller sizes having sold out immediately. I also picked up a Marc Jacobs tote, since I couldn’t resist the big buttons spelling out
Obama ’08—down to a button just for the apostrophe. (The entire range is available as of now at Obama’s official campaign site. Click here to shop.)
One look that could fly as fast as Narcisco’s logo-spotted sheer T-shirt is the jacket SJP was wearing, specifically the scrap safety pinned on the backside and scrawled with “Barack ‘n Roll.”
With only 55 days and counting left, as SJP reminded the crowd repeatedly, it’s time to rock the vote, especially in those states such as Florida and Indiana, far, far away from fashion week cities such as NY and LA–yet so very influential.


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Tandberg strikes GoldPocket for $78.5 M
Closely-held GoldPocket develops and markets iTV software creation and management platforms for service operators and content providers. Among recent deals, GoldPocket paired up with HSN on the creation of a 24/7 iTV service that will enable viewers to purchase products via the remote control. CBS tapped GoldPocket earlier this year to build interactivity into several shows, including its popular Survivor franchise. Other big Gold Pocket customers in North America include DirecTV, Fox and Time Warner.
The acquisition is expected to shore up Tandberg's iTV software and technology portfolio, and establish it with television programmers and other content providers.
Last year, the company purchased N2 Broadband, a company specializing in video-on-demand backoffice software, for $118 million. Before its foray into VOD and iTV, Tandberg was well known for digital video gear, including encoding gear based on advanced compression platforms such as MPEG-4.
"The addition of GPI's interactive technology and tools will bring us into the content core, where we can assist our customers in deploying interactive applications that have a direct impact on their revenues and consumer appeal," said Tandberg President & CEO Eric Cooney, in a release.
GoldPocket, which employs 85 people, will be maintained in Los Angeles when the deal closes in December. Its estimated fiscal year 2005 revenues are $12 million.


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Genetically modified seeds 'are everywhere'
GENETICALLY modified crops are everywhere, it seems - even in Europe. Strict laws designed to keep the European Union free of unauthorised GM crops and products are not working, and are posing problems for the EU's €150 billion livestock industry, according to farmers' representatives. They say that supplies of animal feed for poultry and pigs are being refused entry at European ports when found to contain even trace amounts of unauthorised GM material.
Under Europe's "zero-tolerance" laws on GM contamination, introduced in 2007, the presence of even a few seeds of unauthorised GM material will rule out an entire shipment. The animal feed industry says that the laws are unworkable because GM material is almost ubiquitous, given today's global supply chain.
"Though we understand the consumer concern in Europe, we don't understand zero tolerance because it closes down trade," says Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of Copa-Cogeca, a coalition of groups representing 15 million EU farmers in total. He claims that European pig and poultry farmers will go out of business unless the EU adopts a more pragmatic screening approach by setting a threshold - say 0.5 per cent - beneath which GM contamination is tolerated.
Pesonen says such "tolerances" operate for other contaminants, including pesticides and heavy metals. So why not for GM material, much of which has been cleared for human consumption elsewhere in the world?
Last year 200,000 tonnes of conventional animal feed - mainly soy and maize - were refused entry to the EU when they were found to contain small amounts of GM maize varieties. Then flax from Canada was found to contain traces of a GM variety named CDC Triffid that was withdrawn from commercial sale in 2001. Following a ban on flax more than 100 shipments were rejected, but trade is slowly resuming.
The rejected tonnage is only a fraction of the 32 million tonnes of feed imported each year. But it leads to delays to subsequent consignments, higher prices and a reluctance by importers to risk further shipments.
Prices will be higher still this year, says Pesonen owing to droughts in South America and a growing market for American farmers selling crops to China, which accepts mixed shipments.
Increasing numbers of GM crop varieties are on the way. At present, around 30 varieties are grown around the world, but that is predicted to quadruple by 2015, making screening trickier than ever.
A further complication arises because all the European commissioners are due to be replaced in February. A spokeswoman for the health commission, which introduced the zero-tolerance policy to satisfy widespread misgivings in Europe about the safety of GM crops, says that "intensive consultations" on feed imports have already taken place. "Once the new commission is established, it will have to consider how to proceed on this matter," she says.


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NEW YORK, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OTG today announced that it is deploying more than 7,000 new iPads at three major airports over the next 18 months to give travelers a new level of access to tech amenities and high-quality food at the gates.
This unprecedented platform represents an investment of more than $10 million in technology and infrastructure alone. Combined with OTG's newly renovated chef-driven restaurants, the company is dramatically improving the traveler's airport experience.
To date, OTG has deployed 300 new iPads in LaGuardia Airport Terminal D, with hundreds more to be installed throughout the terminal during the summer. The full deployment at the three major airport hubs will occur over the next 18 months. OTG will deploy more than 2,000 new iPads at LaGuardia Terminals C & D; an additional 2,500 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; and another 2,500 new iPads throughout Toronto Pearson International Airport.
"We believe this to be the largest deployment of consumer-facing iPads in the world, and for us, it's just the beginning," said Rick Blatstein, chief executive officer of OTG. "We have plans to roll out thousands of additional iPads at other airports around the United States and the world. Technology is an important complement to the customer service experience."
For travelers, this means a new level of comfort at the airport. The experience starts when a customer sits down in front of a new iPad at one of OTG's chef-driven restaurants or newly renovated seating areas at the gates. From there, they can order meals through an intuitive visual menu, where OTG wait staff is on hand to assist throughout the entire process. Orders are then prepared fresh, and delivered to their seat in 15 minutes or less.
Ordering food through an iPad is just the beginning. With OTG's custom browser, travelers can easily log in to their Facebook, Twitter and personal email accounts, and be confident that their personal information is securely removed from the iPad the moment the home button is pressed. Travelers can also check their flight status, play games and watch the news through pre-loaded apps such as Bloomberg News on the iPads.
Making the experience even more engaging, travelers can pick up the iPad out of its custom designed stand, hold it in their hands and plug in their own headphones for sound. OTG retained technology firm Control Group to develop this custom application suite, which brings the personal experience of the iPad to the public space.
"This is a unique deployment that has no precedent," Blatstein remarked. "We're marrying culinary excellence at the airport with new media. In addition to the content we are already offering, we see this as a significant opportunity for broader deployment of digital content from movies to news to games."
High res images and broadcast quality B-Roll footage are available to support this announcement. Please access at this OTG site.
OTG (www.otgmanagement.com) is an award-winning airport food & beverage operator with more than 150 restaurants and eateries in ten airports, including Minneapolis-St. Paul, John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, Toronto Pearson (2012), Boston Logan, Tucson, Washington National, Orlando, Chicago O'Hare and Philadelphia. Since its entry into airports in 1996, OTG has been recognized throughout the industry for its exceptional customer focus and groundbreaking innovation; growing to become the second largest privately held airport food operator in the US in just over a decade.
The Hoffman Agency


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- Title: Ryanair lifts growth forecast, eyes 200 mln passengers per year by 2024
- Date: 7th November 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE- OCTOBER 2013) (REUTERS) RYANAIR PLANE MOVING ACROSS TARMAC PASSENGERS WALKING RYANAIR PLANE LANDING RYANAIR PLANES ON TARMAC WITH PASSENGERS WAITING RYANAIR PLANE TURNING
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2016 09:17
- Keywords: Ryanair growth forecast 200 mln passengers per year 2024 results revenue buyback
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK + UNKNOWN LOCATION + FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK + UNKNOWN LOCATION + FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00157G2VM5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Budget airline Ryanair Holdings PLC raised its long-term growth forecast by 10 percent on Monday (November 7), saying it expected to carry 200 million passengers per year by 2024 and secure a more than 20 percent share of Europe's short-haul market as rivals struggle with falling fares.
"The whole uncertainty as to whether the UK will stay in the single market, stay in Open Skies, leave, is very troubling and that's caused us to more than half our growth plans for the UK next year. We're going to cut capacity which we thought would have grown by 12 percent, will now only grow by 5 percent," said Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive, Ryanair.
Already Europe's largest carrier by passengers, with a market share of around 15 percent, Ryanair said it will defer the retirement of around 40 planes to boost capacity to 585 Boeing Co 737 airliners by 2024.
Three weeks ago the Irish airline cut its profit forecast by 5 percent for the year to March due to sterling weakness and intense pricing competition.
But it said it plans to take advantage of its low cost base to prioritise market share over profit margins, increasing capacity by around 13 percent this winter compared to an industry average increase of around 9 percent.
"I think Ryanair has responded to the challenge the way we always do. We've lowered airfares. It means we have high load factors, we have strong traffic growth, profits are not growing quite as fast, profits are only up 7 percent but that's because fares are down 10 percent. But it's a good time to fly because we've never been selling lower airfares," he added.
O'Leary said he was comfortable with a forecast of profit after tax of between 1.3 billion euros ($1.44 billion) and 1.35 billion euros.
Profit after tax for the six months to the end of September was 1.17 billion euros ($1.30 billion), in line with analyst forecasts. (Full Story)
Ryanair said it would return an additional 550 million euros to shareholders by February in a share buyback.
Ryanair shares have outperformed many of their peers in recent months as the sector struggled to come to terms with Britain's vote to leave the European Union and a flood of capacity that has driven down prices.
British Airways owner IAG on Friday stuck to its main long-term earnings and margin growth targets but scaled back its plans to expand capacity.
Budget rival easyJet in October warned that annual profit had fallen by more than a quarter and hinted that trading would remain tough.
Ryanair built its business by striking low-cost deals with small airports far from city centres, but on Monday it said by the end of this year it will begin flying mainly to primary airports, increasing its competition with traditional legacy carriers.
Last week it announced plans to fly from Frankfurt Main, one of Europe's busiest hubs.
"Frankfurt have come to us, we've negotiated a resonably lower cost incentive growth agreement that's available to other airlines if they want to grow in Frankfurt Main as well. It does give us a more resonable cost base in Frankfurt. I think what Franfurt are worried about is that Air Berlin is continuing to restructure and cut back. They see their traffic either stagnating or declining and they want somebody to come in there and grow the business," commented O'Leary.
O'Leary said an increased focus on selling additional services via its website and phone apps was also helping to boost sales of reserved seating and premium business fares.
Ryanair's business model is to fill planes irrespective of ticket price to minimise passenger costs and boost spending on extras.
On Monday said it expected to secure 30 percent of its revenue from optional extras by 2020, up from 20 percent.
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Mobile apps on Chinese Android stores are tracking and harvesting user data, and call records, SMSes and phone numbers face the highest risk of being stolen, a Data Center of China Internet (DCCI) report finds.
According to the research firm's findings released Wednesday, China's mobile phone users had reached 1.1 billion, with 400 million of them being smartphone users. Of the 400 million, 84 percent of them on Android operating system (OS), it noted.
The study also investigated 1,400 apps across China's various Android markets, and found that 66.9 percent of apps were tracking user data. Of this figure, 34.5 percent of them were doing "cross-border data tracking", which refers to tracking private data which has no connection to the app's function and users not being aware of this activity happening.
It was also found that call records, SMSes and users' contact lists were the most vulnerable to information disclosure.
|Objective of mobile apps on Chinese Android marketplace
|Objective||Apps that do so because of app functionality (%)
||Apps that do so not because of app functionality (%)|
|Reading phone records||26.1||73.1|
|Reading SMS records||38.9||61.1|
|Collecting user phone numbers||39.5||60.5|
|Reading contact lists||62.0||38.0|
|Collecting user data||91.5||8.5|
|Source: Data Center of China Internet, 2013 Mobile Privacy and Security Report|
Mobile-related activities and apps in China frequently come under fire for mining user data and other security related issues. In November 2012, an undercover investigation, including advertising on pirated copycat apps and mining user data to sell to advertising agencies.
Back in March 2011, Chinese antivirus firm NetQin, now known as NQ Mobile, was accused of being in cahoots with app developing firm Feiliu toThis led to industry and consumer backlash for both companies.


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After a stellar 2013, overall auto sales took a big dip in January, and plug-ins were no exception to the trend. Auto sales slid 3% as snow and ice kept people away from dealerships.
Total plug-in sales were little more than half of December’s (but still more than in January 2013). The LEAF was firmly in the lead with 1,252 units, almost double January 2013 sales. Nissan told InsideEVs that battery supply issues have now been sorted out, so once the winter slump is over, monthly sales figures should start to more accurately reflect demand.
It was an embarrassing month for the Chevy Volt – sales of 918 cars are at a two-year low. Is this a sign of waning demand (the Volt’s 2013 sales failed to better its 2012 figures) or only of distribution bottlenecks (national inventories of the 2014 Volt are very low, following a two-week holiday production pause)?
The Toyota Prius Plug-In had a more respectable month, with 803 units sold, only a slight decline from December (919), but far short of the PPI’s all-time monthly record in October 2013 (2,095).
Tesla doesn’t release monthly sales figures, and it shifts production back and forth between US-bound and Europe-bound vehicles, so InsideEVs’ estimate of 800 Model S sold in January is just that – a rough estimate. Tesla’s quarterly report for Q4 2013 is due in mid-February.
Ford’s plug-ins made a decent showing – sales for the Fusion Energi (553), C-MAX Energi (471) and Focus Electric (100) were down from December, but not disastrously so.
Jumping into the #7 spot, the Porsche Panamera S-E Hybrid was the only plug-in to post an increase in sales this month. It sold 141 units in its fourth month on the market.
The Cadillac ELR came out of the gate moving 41 units in its first full month of sales. Not massive, but respectable for a luxury vehicle that GM has always said would be a low-volume model.


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Indian fintech platform PhonePe has raised an additional $200 million in investments from Walmart, bringing the company closer to its $1 billion target fundraise in capital.
This latest investment was made at a pre-money valuation of $12 billion, adding to the $650 million funding aid PhonePe has already received from various global investors.
The company plans to use these investments to build and scale new businesses such as insurance, wealth management, lending, stockbroking, ONDC-based shopping, and account aggregators.
The fundraise will also help the company accelerate the growth of UPI payments in India, including UPI lite and credit on UPI.
PhonePe aims to provide digital inclusion for both consumers and merchants and has successfully digitized 35+ million offline merchants across Tier 2,3,4, and beyond, covering 99% of the pin codes in the country.
The company has over 450 million registered users, meaning that more than one in three adult Indians are now using PhonePe.
In 2017, the fintech firm expanded into financial services to provide users with safe and convenient investing options and has since introduced several mutual funds and insurance products, offering every Indian equal opportunity to access services and unlock the flow of money.
According to Sameer Nigam, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of PhonePe, the company started the fundraise following its domicile shift to India last year and expects more investments to come soon. The fintech firm plans to make announcements accordingly.
Judith McKenna, President and CEO for Walmart International, expressed confidence in PhonePe’s future and its expansion of offerings, providing access to financial services for Indians at scale.
India is one of the world’s most digital, dynamic, and fastest-growing economies, making Walmart excited to support PhonePe’s operations in the country.
PhonePe’s fundraise is projected to help it turbo-charge the next wave of growth for UPI payments in India, including UPI lite and credit on UPI. The company’s goal is to build new offerings for Indian consumers and merchants while enabling financial inclusion across the nation.


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A $40 million settlement with the state of North Carolina might be a sign of more pushback against the vape manufacturer
By Jason Langendorf
Juul Labs, a leading manufacturer of e-cigarette and vaping products, last week reached a $40 million settlement with the state of North Carolina that figures to have enormous implications for the future of the company, and possibly for tobacco alternatives in general.
For years, Juul targeted young people, including teens, with highly addictive e-cigarettes. It lit the spark and fanned the flames of a vaping epidemic among our children—one that you can see in any high school in North Carolina.”—North Carolina attorney general Josh Stein
The lawsuit, which claimed that Juul targeted its marketing efforts at teenagers and fueled a new addiction crisis, was settled before moving to a jury trial. But the company still faces more than a dozen similar suits brought by states and a multidistrict group of plaintiffs including cities, counties, school districts and others.
“For years, Juul targeted young people, including teens, with highly addictive e-cigarettes,” North Carolina attorney general Josh Stein said in a statement announcing the settlement. “It lit the spark and fanned the flames of a vaping epidemic among our children—one that you can see in any high school in North Carolina.”
E-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco-type product among youth since 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in 2018 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Surgeon General declared an “epidemic” of teen vaping. By 2020, according to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 high school students reported having used e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days.
An Argument for E-Cigarettes
Most e-cigarettes contain fewer toxic chemicals than do traditional cigarettes, and recent independent research suggests that they may be useful as a harm reduction tool for adult smokers.
This settlement is consistent with our ongoing effort to reset our company and its relationship with our stakeholders, as we continue to combat underage usage and advance the opportunity for harm reduction for adult smokers.”—Juul spokesperson Joshua Raffel
After the agreement was reached with North Carolina, Juul released a statement through company spokesperson Joshua Raffel: “This settlement is consistent with our ongoing effort to reset our company and its relationship with our stakeholders, as we continue to combat underage usage and advance the opportunity for harm reduction for adult smokers.”
Juul has long held publicly that e-cigarettes and vaping are intended for adults, and that the company has been an active partner in keeping its products out of the hands of young people. In a July 2018 statement responding to Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey, the first AG to open an investigation into Juul Labs, the company claimed that “we have never marketed to anyone underage.” As part of the North Carolina settlement, Juul was not required to admit to the suit’s allegations.
Some aren’t convinced. E-cig and vape products from Juul and other manufacturers frequently feature flavors that, critics claim, are clearly aimed at attracting a younger crowd. And as The New York Times reported last week, “Juul’s sleek high-tech-looking device, advertised in its 2015 launch with young, hip-looking people on billboards and in social media, quickly caught on with teenagers and young adults who had never smoked.” According to the American Heart Association, almost 80% of middle school and high school students were exposed to e-cig advertising in 2016.
Moreover, the notion that e-cigarettes are a “healthier” alternative to smoking for young people is flimsy at best. Juul products and others that are similar contain nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that may be especially harmful to the teenage brain. And, per the CDC, it’s possible that the alternative leads to the real thing: “Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.”
What the Juul Litigation Means
In his statement, Stein said the $40 million from the Juul settlement would go toward funding e-cigarette cessation, prevention and research programs in North Carolina. Additionally, Juul Labs agreed to the following, enforceable in North Carolina court:
- No marketing that appeals to people under the age of 21
- No using most social media advertising, influencer advertising, outdoor advertising near schools and sponsoring sporting events and concerts
- No claims that compare the health effects of using Juul with the health effects of using combustible cigarettes in its marketing materials
- No online sales to anyone not age-verified by an independent verification system; third-party sales partners must do the same
- No retail sales to anyone not age-verified using a barcode scanner
- Ensure its products are sold behind counters so shoppers cannot access them without a shop employee’s assistance
- Maintain a retailer compliance secret shopper program in North Carolina to ensure these measures are followed and hold accountable retailers that fail
- No new flavors or nicotine content levels without FDA authorization
Juul had already made certain changes in response to criticism of its related practices, including implementing a policy in 2018 to no longer use models on its social channels, but instead only former smokers. But with a raft of lawsuits pending (with the potential for billions more in settlement costs, as well as wider regional restrictions) and an FDA investigation underway that could remove its products from the market, Juul Labs—and likely the entire e-cigarette market—faces a steeper road ahead.
Top photo: Jordan Whitfield; bottom photo: Kirill Balobanov


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MG Motor India is readying its first product for India, which will go on sale by the first half of 2019. The carmaker had conducted dealer road shows earlier this year where it showcased the MG ZS SUV. While MG Motors has multiple products in its stable that are on sale overseas, we can now confirm that the brand will not launch one of its own products but it will launch a re-styled and re-engineered version of Shanghai Automotive owned Baojun 530 SUV in the Indian market as its first offering. Testing has already commenced for this new SUV as seen from the spy shot.
The Baojun 530 made its China debut in March 2018. Measuring 4,655mm in length, 1,835mm in width and 1,760mm in height, the 530 is slightly bigger than a Jeep Compass. With its big dimensions and long equipment list, MG India is confident of pricing its first SUV at a premium and according to sources a sub Rs 20 lakh price is the target, just below the Hyundai Tucson.
The Baojun 530 has a bold exterior design, and the grille is integrated with high-mounted daytime- running lights, complemented by slender LED headlights. It has prominent character lines on the sides that extend all the way to the tailgate to join very Audi-like tail-lamps. Squared-out wheel arches and a blacked-out D-pillar are some other styling details of note on the 530. However, for India, the 530 will get some styling changes including an all new grille and bumpers which will bear the MG family look.
On the inside, the Baojun 530 sports a dual-tone colour scheme. The design of the dashboard is neat and tidy and houses a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system.
In China, the Baojun 530 is available with the option of a pair of petrol engines – namely a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated unit and a 1.5-liter turbo-charged one. For the Indian market, MG is expected to source a Fiat 2.0-litre diesel engine option from FCA India.
MG Motor is currently working on heavily localising the new SUV that will be produced in India at SAIC’s plant (formerly owned by General Motors) at Halol, Gujarat. As part of its India strategy, MG Motor India will launch one new product every year from 2019 onwards and build a network of around 300 dealerships and service centres (combined) across the country.
What do you think of MG’s plan to base its first SUV for India on the Baojun 530? Let us know in the comments section below.


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Facebook for iOS adds privacy options and status icons in updateFacebook on Tuesday released an update for its iOS app, bringing new sharing controls for posts, status icons and the ability to start conversations from a photo received in messages.
While not a major update, Facebook version 6.2 brings a few functional improvements to the universal iOS app, including moves to push the use of graphics in lieu of text.
The new icons feature allows users to set and view a stylized emoticon character for their status alongside the usual text. There is a wide selection of icons from which to choose, including "Feeling, Watching, Reading, Listening to, Drinking, Eating, and Playing."
Users also have more control over who can view their posts by clicking on the small arrow on the top right of a post's box. The feature is in line with Facebook's recent push toward a safer and more secure user experience.
Finally, Facebook now allows users to start conversations from photos received in messages.
Facebook for iOS comes in at 33.2MB and can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
On Topic: App Store
- Search glitches hit iOS and Mac App Stores, concealing major apps [ux2]
- Apple says all apps must support IPv6-only networking by June
- AMC launches tvOS app with free streaming for select shows
- Microsoft lets new Word Flow keyboard loose on the App Store with one-handed mode
- Apple Store app's 3D Touch support expanded with Peek and Pop previews


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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Zootoberfest kickoff this weekend at the Memphis Zoo was a smashing success.
On weekends in October, you can come see all the animals and enjoy craft beer from six local beer trucks scattered throughout the zoo.
"That sounds so interesting," Jako Pennekan, who is visiting Memphis from South Africa, said. "We didn't have it back at home like that. I can't wait to taste the beer."
Zootoberfest takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends except Halloween. The last day of Zootoberfest is November 1.
Guests can pick up a commemorative mug to sip German beer while they enjoy a fall afternoon at the zoo. Draft root beer and root beer floats will also be available to enjoy.
"That's amazing," Pennekan said on being able to come to a zoo and have a beer. "I will come back every time."
The stein sells for $8 and refills are $3. For more information on Zootoberfest, click here.


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Abbott Faces New Investor Class Action Lawsuits Over Similac Recall
Abbott Laboratories and its chief officers face two new investor class action lawsuits over a Similac recall last year, accusing them of damaging the company’s interests and value to investors, by failing to make sure infant formula products distributed to families nationwide were safe.
The lawsuits stem from widespread contamination of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formula, which sickened hundreds of babies nationwide, resulted in a massive recall and a temporary shutdown of Abbott’s Sturgis, Michigan manufacturing facility. The investors indicate that the company’s actions have caused billions of dollars in damage to Abbott’s value since 2019, due to the “illegal, unsafe and unethical production and sale of Infant formula products” in the U.S.
One complaint (PDF) was filed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local No. 720 Pension Fund and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. The other complaint (PDF) was filed by the Comptroller of New York State as the trustee and administrative head of the state and local retirement system. Both lawsuits were filed on June 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Similac Recall Over Cronobacter and Salmonella Contamination
Abbott Laboratories recalled Similac, Alimentum and Elecare formula products in February 2022, after it was confirmed that powdered formula manufactured at a Michigan facility was contaminated with Salmonella Newport and Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.
At least two infant deaths and hundreds of illnesses have been reported by parents who fed the recalled formula to their children, and subsequent investigations have revealed Abbott ignored industry safety standards and best practices at its facility for years, endangering children for the sake of profits.
Shortly after the Similac recall, lawsuits were filed by families of babies who experienced problems. However, a number of Similac recall class action lawsuits were also filed, seeking economic damages for all consumers who purchased the contaminated formula, even if no injuries resulted from the contamination.
Given common questions of fact and law raised in the complaints, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) has established centralized pretrial proceedings for all lawsuits over the Similac recall brought throughout the federal court system, consolidating the cases as part of an MDL before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly in the Northern District of Illinois.
The investor lawsuits accuse Abbott of ignoring safety problems at the facilities for years, some details of which were uncovered by FDA inspections months before the recall was announced. According to allegations in the complaints, Abbott’s leading officers and board members ignored these problems, putting short-term profits above both the safety of its vulnerable consumers and above the company’s long-term health and reputation, thus negatively impacting the company’s value and the value of investments in the company.
The investors say that, in addition to unsafe practices at the Sturgis facility, Abbott used aggressive and amoral marketing tactics to convince new mothers to use its products. Through these tactics, investors claim Abbott deceived mothers into thinking its infant formula products are safer than they actually are, particularly its cow’s milk-based products, which have been linked to an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants.
“Notably, the Board and the Company’s management have authorized Abbott to pursue these marketing tactics for decades, and therefore, they are now ingrained as part of the Company’s culture,” the lawsuits state. “As such, those tactics, which are unethical and violate the Company’s corporate governance policies, while also potentially constitute illegal anti-competitive actions, continue unabated at Abbott while the Individual Defendants served as Abbott’s directors and officers.”
The lawsuits accuse Abbott and its officers of breaches of fiduciary duty, and also accuses some of the officers of insider trading, resulting in billions of dollars in losses to the company’s value and, thus, their investments.
Other Similac Recall Class Action Lawsuits Dismissed
The new complaints come about a month after Judge Kennelly granted a motion to dismiss some Similac recall class action lawsuits filed by purchasers of the recalled infant formula products. However, those claims were from buyers who sought economic damages and refunds for purchasing infant formula which may have had no inherent value and potentially endangered their children’s lives.
Abbott’s motion to dismiss argued that plaintiffs failed to adequately prove standing, meaning they suffered direct injury, and could not plausibly argue that the products were defective.
Judge Kennelly’s May 22 order dismissed 10 Similac class action lawsuits.
July 2023 Similac Recall Lawsuit Update
As part of the coordinated management for the remaining Similac injury lawsuits, it is expected that Judge Kennelly will establish a bellwether trial program, where small groups of representative claims are prepared for early trial dates.
While the outcome of these bellwether trials will not be binding on other cases, they will be used to help gauge how juries are likely to respond to evidence and testimony which could be repeated in hundreds of separate trials, and may help form the basis of a Similac recall settlement agreement.
A similar process has been established in a separate federal MDL established for all Similac lawsuits over NEC diagnosed among premature infants fed the cow’s milk-based infant formula.
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Today, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released the March 2022 Consumer Price Index (CPI). The index showed an 8.5% increase in year-over-year inflation, breaking another 40-year-high.
The CPI measures the price of consumer goods in the United States. It includes food, shelter, energy and transportation. The BLS provides monthly CPI updates approximately ten days before the next month. This month’s all-item index shows an 8.5% increase from March last year, up from February’s 7.9% annual reading. This is the highest number since December 1981. However, many Bitcoiners believe that inflation is much worse than what is being reported. According to the report, fuel, shelter and food were the main contributors to the rise. The increase in all-items was only half, with gasoline accounting for 18.3% more than last month. It’s up 32% over the past year. It has increased 8.8% over the past year. Bitcoin’s price is slightly sensitive to inflation news. Its association with digital gold leads many to consider it an inflation hedge. However, its price later fell below $40,000 after the inflation numbers dropped. At the time of writing, it is worth $39,639
Bitcoin/USD Source: TradingView
Marla Brooks – Financial Analysis
My name is Marla Brooks, and I am the mainstream behind the”observednews.com” for the powerful and most delicate insights into the latest activities in the financial analysis category. I started my journey as an independent financial consultant. I had approximately nine years of experience in this field. I am free soul so; my passion for exploring the world has taken me to the nations across the globe and given me the chance to report for a portion of the best news associations. Currently, I am a full-time editor as experienced in finance and started to use my abilities.


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'Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare' Review: Activision Focusing On Single-Player Campaign; Lack Of PC Cross-play In COD? [VIDEO]By Ernest Aguila, UniversityHerald Reporter
Fans and critics alike of the widely-acclaimed "Call of Duty" franchise will be surprised to hear that Activision and Infinite Ward has received some good reviews for highlighting its single-player campaign for their latest installment, "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare." However, there seems to be some issue when it comes to the game's multiplayer feature, especially to those playing on the PC, according to sources.
Fans of the first-person shooter franchise has always been focused on the multiplayer feature of the game. It even goes to the extent of having comparative reviews pit all the first-person shooters out there in terms of its multiplayer features.
However, it would be wise to take a look at the single-player campaign of "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare," which promises fans a fresh perspective on the latest installment, Gamespot reported.
In an interview with Gamespot, narrative director Taylor Kurosaki shed some light on how the single-player campaign of "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare" will be a different experience for its fans. Kurosaki explains how the process was when it came to making the narrative of the game's single-player campaign.
Kurosaki, who has an impressive background dating back to his work in "Crash Bandicoot" in 1995, told Gamespot that they intended to create a narrative that was inspired by classic war stories and one that would be transcendent in time. They wanted to retain the great features of the franchise while extending it with the reinvention that "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare" has brought to the table.
As such, Kurosaki expressed that they wanted a story that involved real human beings, relationships that would extend beyond the events of the game, and one that would give focus to the players and their squad. He told Gamespot that by placing the players into the shoes of a leader, the story could revolve around on how commanding a squad would feel under the pressures of war.
In other news, it was reported that "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare" will not be having a support for a PC cross-play, Neoseeker reported. It seems that Activision has not allowed this feature that would enable fans, have purchased the game separately from the Windows store and Valve's Steam Store) to play with one another.
As noted by Neoseeker, a representative from Microsoft has stated that the decision to not enable a cross-play feature was entirely on Activision. They also mentioned that this has led to a sizable amount refunds due to the lack of cross-play in the game.
Whether or not the laco of cross-play feature will addressed by Activision, fans can still get a blast out of playing the single-player campaign of "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare."


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The Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) which is the government body mandated to regulate all issues pertaining to animal husbandry in Nigeria, recently released a list of feedmillers that had been inspected and found to have complied with the standards set out by the body, and thereby certified to operate.
The list which was made available directly to Livestonews contained twenty one feed business names, fifteen of which have been certified while the remaining six are still undergoing processing.
While responding to questions posed by Livestonews, Professor Eustace Iyayi, the Registrar of NIAS, clarified that the feed business inspection and registration is a continuous exercise that is carried out by NIAS all over the country. The registration certificate is valid only for two years. He thus advised poultry farmers and other livestock farmers using feed, premixes, additives and concentrates to patronize only the products from NIAS registered manufacturers in the interest of the livestock industry in Nigeria.
The currently released list has Crown Flour Mills Limited (maker of Chikun brand of feed) in the industrial category and some others in the Commercial, Toll milling and On-Farm categories. The full list is reproduced below.
It would be recalled that NIAS in 2017 released the feed business premises guidelines which was gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria via Gazette No 137, Vol. 104 of 2017. The regulation has the sole aim of ensuring the production and distribution of quality animal feed in Nigeria in support of the Federal Government Agricultural Promotion Policy.
All Rights Reserved. All materials from Livestonews can be reproduced, published, broadcasted, redristributed and shared in whole or in part only with due acknowledgement / reference of Livestonews as the source.


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Opinion: Supply shock, demand collapse?
In the wake of the Chilean table grape damage, John Pandol says "the idea of 'there’s half the supply so the price should double' never happens".
March 02 , 2021
Time for the blueberry industry of the Americas to come to the table
Following the last week's USITC ruling, Cort Brazelton says: "In the aftermath of this intense process, we have an opportunity to come together."
February 17 , 2021
Opinion: The debate on blueberry imports vs domestic supply is worthy of history books
Jim Prevor says that this battle over blueberries, and protecting US farmers versus providing for consumers, is truly a battle that has echoed through U.S. history.
February 11 , 2021
Opinion: More hope within the banana sector this year
José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director of the Association of Banana Exporters in Ecuador (AEBE), says the banana sector continues with the same passion and commitment as always while taking the challenges it faced in 2020 as lessons learned.
January 12 , 2021
What does 2021 hold for the international fresh produce sector?
John Giles of Promar International speaks about some things happening around the world in the fresh produce sector and what the U.K.-EU trade deal could mean for both sides.
January 04 , 2021
Ringing in the New Year: 2021’s global logistics outlook
Mike Short, president of global freight forwarding at C.H. Robinson, says that as the New Year approaches, it’s time to look at ways you can make a smart plan for global shipping in 2021.
December 23 , 2020
Opinion: What's going on in the U.K. fresh produce sector?
John Giles, a Divisional Director of Promar International, says there are many macro business issues facing fresh produce suppliers and buyers in the UK fresh produce market.
October 28 , 2020
U.S. importing and exporting: Understanding the basics
Kevin Doucette of C.H. Robinson says that understanding the basics of trade compliance can make it easier to keep up with updates, changes, and additions to trade laws.
October 14 , 2020
Covid-19 has flipped the value proposition of omnichannel shopping for constrained consumers
Nielsen says that six months into the pandemic, early reliance on e-commerce has expanded into a fundamental dependence on still-evolving omnichannel shopping experiences.
October 12 , 2020
Vanguard lists five things to know about the Peruvian grape season
Vanguard International gives insights into five key areas about its Peruvian grape season, including information about the climate, its fields and its team.
September 28 , 2020


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BOSTON—In case you only thought spit was just something athletes hawked out whenever a camera was on them during a sporting event, saliva is necessary for tasting and digesting food. But according to researchers presenting their findings at the 256th…
Exposure to an electrical field can kill harmful bacteria in foods, says scientist at Purdue University
Americans get a quarter of their calories from snack foods; potato chips are the unhealthiest
A Must Read for all food & beverages industry personnel
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INNOVATION: Maker of projection technology for hand-held devices seeks research partners, financing
Tech firm eyes London 0
Alexander Tokman, chief executive MicroVision Inc., shows off the chip technology which projects images from a cellphone, tablet or other handheld device. (NORMAN DEBONO, The London Free Press)
A tech company based in Washington state is looking to strengthen its London connection.
London landlord Shmuel Farhi has invested in MicroVision based in Redmond, Wash.
The company’s chief executive was in London recently meeting political and business officials, looking for financing and a research partnership.
“This is innovation at its best and we want to help bring it to fruition,” Farhi said.
“I believe in this and I wanted to be part of it . . . This company can be a huge success.”
MicroVision sells a projector system that attaches to handheld devices such as cellphones and tablets. A chip inserted into the devices enables them to project video or still images.
Using what’s called pico projector technology, a small game system such as a PSP or a video on a cellphone can be viewed on a wall, screen or tabletop.
“It allows you to get greater enjoyment and productivity out of mobile devices because it removes the constraint of the tiny screen,” said Alexander Tokman, chief executive of MicroVision Inc.
“It is always in focus and is ideal for gaming. You can do it anywhere.”
Farhi hopes the meeting also leads to a London presence for the company with 70 employees, if it lands a research partner.
Mayor Joe Fontana went to the company head office this summer to pitch London as a location.
“We want to talk to various companies to see if there is opportunity. We know there is gaming companies here,” Tokman said.
“We want to see if there is a local match . . . It will be innovation; it will be research teams.”
Tokman’s projection device has been on the market since 2010; he is excited about his latest innovation that projects screen views, such as navigation systems, onto a car windshield.
Instead of looking at the dashboard, drivers glance to a corner of the windshield for information.
“People think it will be the speedometer and odometer, but why would we do that? You already have that. You want to project information that won’t distract you,” Tokman said.
That device is already for sale in Japan as an aftermarket device.


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NeoGames S.A subsidiary Pariplay, a leading aggregator and content provider, has delivered games from Konami Gaming, Inc. to DraftKings in New Jersey for the first time.
The launch follows the recent integration of the leading provider’s content onto the Fusion aggregation platform and sees top-tier sports betting operator DraftKings significantly strengthen its gaming offering in Garden State.
Synonymous with innovation and quality, the integration of Konami’s online portfolio of popular land-based casino titles onto the Fusion platform allows DraftKings to serve its players with a range of popular classics and modern top titles that push the limits of originality while providing quality in every detail.
DraftKings, the sole vertically integrated sports betting operator in the United States, has already seen success in New Jersey with the launch of content from Wizard Games, Pariplay’s in-house games studio.
The collaboration is the latest in a series of major strides made by Pariplay in North America, as it looks to consolidate its position as the leading aggregation platform on the continent.
Shivan Patel, VP North America, Pariplay, said: “Both DraftKings and Konami are iconic names both in North America and around the world. Connecting both parties to players is a very exciting moment for us.
“Konami’s heritage in the land-based sector plays very well with online players and with such a large audience to put its game in front of through DraftKings, the potential of this launch is huge.”
World-class platform provider launches with UK-based operator
Having been acquired by MGM Resorts International in 2022, LeoVegas Group will undertake BetMGM’s casino and sports betting operations in the UK
The deal is the latest agreed by ESA Gaming, with the company enjoying recent global growth and expansion in key markets such as Africa and Italy
Whether you prefer the thrill of in-person challenges or the convenience of virtual engagements, the Malta-based team building company has something spooky and spectacular to offer


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Starbucks Employee Has Insane Meltdown At Customer Over Cookie Straw
An employee of a Queens, New York Starbucks was reportedly suspended from her job after a video surfaced of her viciously berating a customer on May 12.
According to Huffington Post, the argument began after Ruby Chen ordered a Frappuccino with a "special straw," which was most likely one of Starbucks' edible cookie straws.
Chen wrote on YouTube the worker, who was identified as "Melissa," became frustrated when she didn't hear Chen give her name to another Starbucks' employee, and she then "started to shout at [Chen] saying 'hey helloooo' with [a] very bad attitude."
The YouTube user claims she apologized to Melissa and asked if she wouldn't raise her voice.
Then she took the scanner away as I was trying to pay then told me to leave and never go back.
Chen tried to speak to another employee, but Melissa believed she was trying to leave the store with the straw in her hand.
Chen says she requested to talk to the manager, to which the worker allegedly responded,
You're talking to the manager.
Reports from local media, however, named Melissa's position as the shift supervisor.
The video ends with Melissa telling a group of people defending Chen to leave.
A Starbucks spokeswoman told NBC New York Melissa is no longer employed at the Elmhurst store.
In a statement, the spokeswoman said,
This customer's experience is not reflective of the service our partners provide to customers every day. Our leadership team is reaching out to the customer to apologize and make this right.
Melissa claims she quit because her district manager did not take her side despite her insistence it was Chen who initially caused the trouble.
The manager of the store told PIX11 the verbal abuse was not an indication of Melissa's character, saying,
We do our very best to hire good people with good hearts who care about our customers... This is a good person who did a bad thing.
Chen was reportedly given a $100 gift card from Starbucks.


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HD, DVRs fueling set-top rebound
Pushed along by strong demand for integrated digital video recording and high-definition support, cable set-top box shipments have bounced back this year after a sluggish 2003, according to In-Stat/MDR.
In-Stat, a sister company to CED magazine, said 2004 shipments will reach 10.87 million, up 11 percent from 2003. One in every five digital cable set-top boxes shipped this year has been DVR-enabled, the research firm found. HD-capable boxes, meanwhile, are on track to hit 2 million units shipped this year, up from 750,000 last year.
Shipment growth will remain steady during the next five years thanks in part to added demand in Asia and Europe, In-Stat noted.


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- 15 Jul 2015 9:00 AM
The investment will add 60 jobs to the current 215 in payroll, making Béres the tenth largest employer in Szolnok county.
The company has invested Ft 3.3 billion in its Szolnok plant since 1995, Ft 3 billion of that coming from its own resources.
From a family enterprise of 10 people in 1990, the company has developed into a business group with more than 70 competitive products, including its flagship Béres drops, which Szijjártó said have been officially designated a Hungaricum.
Source: Hungary Around the Clock
This news item is one of many published daily by HATC, a premier subscription news service which distributes English-language info about Hungary via email or fax. For a free trial of HATC visit www.hatc.hu and click on 'Free Trial Subscription’.
MTI photo: Bruzák Noémi


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According to a recent report, the Range Rover Evoque R could use a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that develops 340 PS (250 kW / 335 hp) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque.
We've already heard reports that Land Rover is developing a high-performance Range Rover Evoque, but new details are starting to emerge about the model.
Autoblog.nl is reporting the crossover will feature Jaguar's supercharged 3.0-liter V6. The engine is available in two states of tune, but it will likely produce 340 PS (250 kW / 335 hp) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque in the Evoque. This could enable the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than seven seconds and hit a top speed in excess of 220 km/h (137 mph).


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Weis Markets Inc. is making a multimillion-dollar investment to lower prices on hundreds of its best-selling frozen products as an expansion of the grocer’s Low, Low Price (LLP) program. The lower pricing includes brand-name and Weis Quality products.
“We will offer customers in the markets we serve the lowest everyday prices on hundreds of our best-selling frozen items,” said Bob Gleeson, Weis’ SVP of merchandising and marketing. “Given recent increases in consumer costs, saving money is extremely important to our customers, and we are confident these reductions will generate significant savings for them. Since 2019, our LLP program has helped customers save approximately $10 million dollars. They’ll now save millions more in our frozen department.”
The LLP frozen program reduces prices by 13%-33% on select items, among them Birdseye Steamfresh frozen vegetables (12-16 ounces); Klondike Ice Cream bars, sandwiches and cones (14-17 ounces); Digiorno frozen pizzas; and Marie Callender’s dinners
Foxtrot is making its way around Chicago, opening a new store in the Wrigleyville neighborhood at 3649 N Clark Street. Close to the home field of the Chicago Cubs, this well-trafficked spot features Foxtrot’s usual assortment of pantry staples, locally-produced items and prepared foods that can be eaten onsite or taken to go.
This location’s in-store café includes an updated menu with a variety of new summer dishes. Shoppers can enjoy foods and beverages, including beer and wine or drinks from the Foxtrot coffee bar, on the street-side patio.
As with other Foxtrot locations, delivery within a 30-minute window is available to local shoppers who use the Foxtrot app. Pickup is offered as well, in as little as five minutes.
To mark the opening, Foxtrot is giving away tickets to a Chicago Cubs baseball game and doling out items like Chicago-themed magnets. The Cubs mascot will stop by during a family day on Sunday, May 22.
This is the 14th Foxtrot in Chicago, following the recent unveiling of a store in the Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue. Another opening is planned for June inside the iconic Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), and the business is working on expansions in Texas and Washington, D.C.
Based in Chicago, the e-commerce platform and retailer was founded in 2014 by Mike LaVitola and Taylor Bloom.
Dollar General Bolsters Diversity and Inclusion Team
In an effort to further its organizational commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Dollar General has hired three executives to join its leadership team.
Renee Gadsden is the new director of diversity and inclusion for supply chain, leading the company’s work to develop and execute DEI strategies for supply chain partners. Antoine Hinton now acts as director of supplier diversity, responsible for developing and implementing a strategic supplier diversity and inclusion program that will help build robust supplier networks.
“Renee and Antoine are passionate diversity and inclusion champions, and we are excited for them to lead various DEI efforts,” said Dr. Johné Battle, Dollar General's VP of diversity and inclusion. “We are proud to continue growing and developing our diversity and inclusion efforts, and we look forward to expanding our supply chain and vendor partner diversity while continuing to bring the selection and value our customers have come to expect.”
Additionally, Mark Person was promoted to director of diversity and inclusion for retail. Person originally joined Dollar General in 2016 as a district manager, and serves as a member of the company’s African American Employee Resource Group and participates in Develop 2 Lead program, which aims to develop talent throughout the organization.
“I have been impressed by the impact Mark has on his team, his customers and his efforts to give back to the community,” said John Garratt, Dollar General’s CFO. “Great companies start with great people, and to have great talent you must have diverse talent. We are excited to have Mark step into this new role and help us continue diversifying our teams.”
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. households hold at least one retail membership, according to a new report from data and tech company Numerator. The report also found that 80% of households subscribe to one program, 13.8% subscribe to two programs, 3.7% subscribe to three and 2.5% subscribe to four or more.
Numerator’s new Retail Membership Tracker analyzes retail subscription models and specifically compares Amazon Prime, Walmart+ and Target’s Shipt Everyday. Walmart+ has permeated 8.1% of households since its 2020 launch, while 53.6% of U.S. households subscribe to Amazon Prime. Shipt Everyday is still only available in limited markets and holds a 1.3% share of households.
Subscribers of multiple programs are more likely to be affluent, ethnically diverse and values-driven, the report found, as well as Black or Hispanic/Latino, from larger households and impulse buyers.
As for specific metrics, 78% of Prime members do not subscribe to other membership programs, while 28% of people exclusively subscribe to Shipt Everyday and 24% to Walmart+. Amazon Prime has the highest renewal intent rate of 80% and 74% of its subscribers report high satisfaction levels.
Numerator found that consumers prioritize shipping speed, with Shipt members most likely to cite same-day delivery as a key membership benefit. Shipt Everyday also outperforms its baseline metrics by two times and has captured 10.1% of their subscribers’ share versus 4.3% of their total shoppers’ share.
“Changes in consumer behavior are accelerating,” said Eric Belcher, CEO of Chicago-based Numerator. “Forward-looking retailers are anticipating and tracking those changes.”
Jensen has worked for the association since 2016. He leads a government affairs team, manages RILA’s payments portfolio and handles financial services issues that fall under the jurisdiction of Securities and Exchange Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Reserve and other key regulators. As sustainability has become a greater priority for retailers, his role has expanded to include environmental issues.
Among other endeavors, he worked with the FTC and Federal Reserve to ensure the enforcement of legislation passed under the Dodd-Frank Act protecting the merchant community. In addition, he also pressured the federal government to drop tariffs on China that have reportedly cost consumers more than $350 billion since 2018.
Prior to joining RILA, Jensen worked on Capitol Hill for more than a decade, serving as chief of staff and deputy chief of staff for various members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Austen is an exceptional advocate for leading retailers,” said Michael Hanson, senior EVP of public affairs for the Washington, D.C.-based RILA. “His keen insights, political acumen, dedication, and knowledge of the retail industry drive results for RILA’s members and the retail industry at large. Equally important, he is a caring and motivating leader and guided the RILA government affairs team through extraordinary circumstances during the pandemic. It’s a privilege to work with him, and I’m thrilled to recognize his contributions and value with this promotion.”
US Foods is opening a new Chef'Store in Spartanburg, S.C. Welcoming customers this fall, the 33,000-square-foot store will include products for foodservice operators, community groups and “at-home chefs” looking for supplies and ingredients.
Among other offerings, the latest Chef’Store carries fresh meat, produce, dairy, deli items and frozen seafood. Center store items such as baking-ingredients and beverages are available, too.
This is the fourth warehouse-format Chef’Store in South Carolina and the 83rd in the country. After acquiring Smart Foodservice Warehouse stores in 2020, US Foods rebranded them as Chef’Stores in February 2021. Already this year, US Foods has opened Chef-Store locations in Visalia, Calif., and Lynchburg, Va.
“We are excited to join the ‘Hub City’,” saidJohn Mathews, VP of sales and marketing for the Rosemont, Ill.-based US Foods. “Spartanburg is a thriving city with a vibrant restaurant and culinary scene, and we look forward to serving the community with competitively priced, restaurant-quality products.”


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American rapper Kanye West’s Yeezy is an ambitious collaboration with Adidas and a huge commercial success, a game-changer in the shoe industry, with the new launches selling out within minutes of launch. Thus, it’s no surprise that the original pair of Yeezy sneakers prototype that the singer had unveiled for the very first time at the 2008 Grammy’s sold for a whopping 1.8 million dollars on Monday!
Forbes reported that with this auction, Yeezy cemented its place as a luxury sneaker collectible. The auction was held by auction house Sotheby and was sold off in a private auction to Rares, an online website that allows members and users to purchase and trade shares in individual pairs of sneakers.
Recommended Read: Safety first! Fans praise as Zendaya becomes the only star to mask up her Valentino number for Oscars 2021
Image Courtesy - Sotheby Website
Kanye first wore the prototypes while performing his hits “Hey Mama” and “Stronger,” during the 2008 Grammys. The high-top leather shoes were well received and a massive success, which led to Kanye’s billion-dollar Yeezy empire taking life. The first-ever line of Yeezy was in collaboration with Nike and named “Nike Air Yeezy” in 2009. The partnership, however, fell through soon when Nike refused to give West his royalties.
The rapper partnered up with rival company Adidas and the rest is history! The shares of the shoes are to be launched in June for users to up and grab ‘em. The Monday sale surpassed last year’s set record, a pair of Micheal Jordan’s Nike game shoes which sold for $615,000.
(Source - Forbes, Instagram)


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Tata's small car is an environmentalist nightmare
Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA will compete against Tata Motors Ltd's low-cost "People's Car".
New Delhi:It may be an Indian consumer's dream cheap cars for $2,500-$3,000 within reach of millions of a swelling middle class. But it could also prove to be a traffic and environmental disaster.
Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA announced last week they were studying a $3,000 car to compete in India against Tata Motors Ltd's planned low-cost "People's Car" targeted at around $2,500 to hit the market next year.
For its supporters, cheap cars like these are what the Volkswagen Beetle was to Germany or the Mini to England, the spoils of an economic boom for aspiring middle classes. To its detractors, India will see an explosion in traffic and pollution on its already clogged roads from its more than 1.1 billion inhabitants.
It will add to India's carbon dioxide output just as many Western nations push the Asian giant to control emissions.
"India just can't cope with this kind of pace of expansion," said Anumita
Roychowdhury, associate director at the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment.
"It's just not sustainable, whether from an environmental point of view or in terms of congestion. The World Bank this year said air pollution in India was already of great concern." added Anumita Roychowdhry.
India has low car ownership rates, which are seven to eight cars per 1,000 people compared to the 300-500 cars per 1,000 people in many Western nations. But annual passenger vehicle sales in India are expected to double to 2 million units by 2010.
In the capital alone more than two lakh vehicles are added to its streets every year, where they battle with cows, rickshaws and motorbikes for space.
It's all part of a middle class that will expand by 10 times from its current size of 50 million to 583 million by 2025, according to consultancy firm McKinsey.
Swelling Middle Class
"It's a colossal market," said India's well-known auto columnist Murad Ali Baig. "The low-price car market is already robust. One can only imagine what would happen when cheaper cars will be made available.
The government is busy trying to build and widen highways across the country, including a highway system that will link New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
But air pollution is already at "critical levels" in more than half of India's main cities, according to the Centre for Science and Environment.
Environmentalists say that while new cars will have emission limits, these are still 10 years behind European levels.
"Cars in India will be on the road for between 10 and 15 years and no one will monitor to see if their emissions worsen over the years," said Roychowdhury.
"India is creating a car culture just when other countries are trying to learn from their mistakes," she added.
But many Indians who weave their motorbikes in between traffic would jump on the chance of the comfort of a car.
"If I can buy a 30,000 rupee scooter, then I can now hope to buy a car for 1,00,000 rupees when it comes out. Now, people like me can think about owning a car," said Aman, a 39-year-old chauffeur who earns about 7000 rupees a month.
(Inputs from Agency)
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PARIS, Sept. 9, 2004 — At an exclusive event yesterday in Paris for European journalists, Microsoft Corp. proved that mice and keyboards are anything but ordinary, debuting nine new peripherals that add to the company’s lineup of innovative features and eye-catching designs. Combining innovative technology with haute couture, the day’s events included keynote addresses from Jean-Philippe Courtois, chief executive officer of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa and senior vice president of Microsoft; and Philippe Starck, the renowned French designer who recently collaborated with the company on the design of a new optical mouse.
The nearly 90 journalists also received product demonstrations of Microsoft’s new mice and keyboards, including its first fingerprint-reader products that conveniently replace user names and passwords for quick and easy login to PCs and favorite Web sites. In addition, the journalists attended round-table presentations with Microsoft executives to discuss the convenience, comfort, mobility and style these new products deliver to users’ everyday computing experiences.
The day’s events ended with an evening soire at Maison Baccarat, the palace of crystal and light recently redesigned by Philippe Starck, where the designer unveiled unique candelabras created specifically for this event and designed using the Microsoft®
Optical Mouse by S+ARCK.
Images from this exclusive event can be viewed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/mshardware .
About Microsoft Hardware
For more than two decades, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .